Public Health

Military Exposures & Your Health - Summer - Issue 19

In this issue:

• Military Exposures: What They Mean For Your Health
• WRIISC Celebrates 25 Years of Service
• Appeals Modernization simplifies complex process allowing Veterans to choose one of three lanes

Military Exposures: What They Mean For Your Health

As a Veteran, you may have been exposed to one or more potential environmental hazards during service, such as sand or dust, burn pits, noise, radiation or heavy metals. It's normal to wonder if those experiences are related to health problems you may be experiencing.

Here are a few things to keep in mind about exposures:

• The presence of a toxic substance in your environment does not automatically mean you were exposed to it.
• Even when exposures do occur, the amount that enters the body can vary, and not all exposures lead to health issues.
• Being exposed to environmental hazards does not necessarily mean you will develop symptoms or a disease.

Talk to your health care team about exposures

Your health and history of military environmental exposures matter. In many cases, there is no way to “test” for an exposure that occurred in the past. If you have concerns about something you were exposed to during your service, you don't have to figure it out alone. Your health care team can work with you to look at your history, talk through your concerns and experiences, and discuss how you're feeling now.

When you talk with a provider, it helps to share:

• What you were exposed to (both military and non-military exposures)
• How you were exposed (for example, by contact with skin, inhalation, or injection)
• How long were you exposed
• Where and when you were exposed
• Who else may have been exposed
• Your history, including family history, social history, medical history, possible exposures in the home, and hobbies

What You Should Know About Presumptive Conditions

• Presumptive conditions are established by law or regulation, which provides a link to the Veteran's military service, reducing the evidentiary burden on the Veteran.
• Veterans who served in recognized locations during timeframes in which toxic exposure occurred do not need to prove actual exposure or a link between the claimed condition and exposure.
• A presumptive condition does not mean you are more likely to develop that condition. It means that if you develop it, VA automatically assumes that your service caused the condition.

Lean more about presumptive conditions caused by contact with contaminants (toxic chemicals) or other hazardous materials.

Resources for Veterans with Exposure Concerns.

If you are concerned about your exposures and your health, you have several resources available to you:

• The Toxic Exposure Screening Navigator at your local VA facility:
  • All Veterans enrolled in VA health care can receive a toxic exposure screening at an upcoming appointment or sooner by contacting a toxic exposure screening navigator.
• Talk with your VA health care team:
  • Call 1-800-MyVA411, then press 3 to connect with your local VA Medical Center, or visit your local VA facility
  • Send a secure message to your clinical care team through your patient portal: My Health eVet at:https://www.va.gov/health-care/manage-health/or My VA Health at:myhealth.va.gov
  • Veterans may contact Environmental Health Coordinators about registry evaluations or health concerns related to military exposures.
• Veterans Exposure Team-Health Outcome Military Exposures (VET-HOME):
  • VET-HOME is VA's national hub serving Veterans with military environmental exposures. Any Veteran enrolled in VA health care can contact VET-HOME for a free Military Environmental Exposures Assessment via telehealth. Call 833-633-8846 or visit the live chat on the VET-HOME Portal.

Filing A Claim for Benefits

If you feel that your health has been impacted by your service, VA encourages you to file a claim for disability compensation.

• If your condition is presumptive: File a claim. Because VA already recognizes the link between your condition and your service, you do not need to prove that connection yourself.
• If your condition is not presumptive: You can still file a claim. These claims are reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

To learn more about exposure-informed care for Veterans, visit: https://www.warrelatedillness.va.gov/WARRELATEDILLNESS/EIC/Veterans.asp

WRIISC Celebrates 25 Years of Service

This year, VA proudly celebrates the 25th anniversary of the War Related Illness and Injury Study Center (WRIISC). Since its founding, WRIISC has been dedicated to supporting Veterans, especially those living with difficult‑to‑diagnose, deployment‑related health concerns. This milestone is a tribute to the Veterans whose service, experiences, and partnership continue to shape WRIISC's work.

For 25 years, WRIISC has led the way in specialized clinical evaluations, cutting‑edge research on military exposures, and education that equips VA clinicians to deliver exposure‑informed care. From understanding complex symptoms to advancing research on exposure‑related health outcomes, WRIISC remains committed to helping Veterans improve their health and quality of life.

As we celebrate this milestone, we honor the service and experiences of all Veterans, whose courage and sacrifices continue to inspire progress in advancing care to all who have served.

Appeals Modernization simplifies complex process allowing Veterans to choose one of three lanes

A summary of the appeals process, originally printed on VA News

On Feb. 19, 2019, VA implemented the Veterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act of 2017 (AMA), transforming a historically complex appeals process into one that is simple, timely, and offers Veterans choice and control.

If you disagree with an initial claim decision you received after Feb. 19, 2019, you can now choose from one of three lanes to have the decision reviewed: (1) higher-level review, (2) supplemental claim, or (3) appeal to the Board of Veterans Appeals (Board).

What are the three lanes?

• Choose the higher-level review option if you don't want to submit new evidence, but you think a mistake was made. A senior claims adjudicator will review your claim in an average of 125 days.
• Choose the supplemental claim option if you want to submit new and relevant evidence. VA will assist you in gathering the evidence you identify. This option will take an average of 125 days.
• Choose the Board appeal option if you want the Board to review your case.

Appealing to the Board

If you appeal to the Board, you will then choose one of three dockets: (1) direct review, (2) evidence submission, or (3) hearing request.

• Choose the direct review option if you don't want to submit new evidence or have a hearing. The Board will review only the evidence the local VA office considered. The Board will complete these cases in an average of 365 days.
• Choose the evidence submission option if you want to submit additional evidence, but you don't want a hearing. The Board will review the evidence the local VA office considered and any additional evidence that you submit within 90 days after VA's receipt of your notice of disagreement. This option will take longer than one year.
• Choose the hearing request option if you want a hearing with a Veterans Law Judge. After the hearing, the Veterans Law Judge will review the evidence the local VA office considered, as well as your hearing testimony and any additional evidence you submit the day of or within 90 days after your hearing. This option will take longer than one year.

For more information, please visit the Board's website.

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